“Let me see if I can find someone else first. If I can’t, I’ll ask the guys to give me a hand.”
She nods again and slides out of the booth. “That’s fine.”
I rise to my feet, towering over her in my high heels. “Thanks for stopping by,” I say, not sure if I should hug her, so I just stand there.
All doubt is wiped away as Betty puts her arms around me and embraces me so tightly, I almost break down in tears. It’s been so long since anyone’s held me besides Roger. The sentiment is touching, and I know in this moment, not only could I fall for Angelo, but his family too.
8
Angelo
Tate has her face pressed up against the glass of the cupcake shop. “Where’s Tilly?” Tate glances at me before peering through the window again.
“Maybe she’s not in yet. Let’s go, Tate. Grandma’s waiting, and I have work to do.”
“Maybe she’ll bring me more cupcakes today.” Tate runs to my side and grabs my hand. “They were so good, Daddy. Weren’t they?” She gazes up at me, wanting nothing more than my attention.
“They were delicious, kiddo. Thanks for sharing with me and Brax.”
She smiles. She’s proud of herself. The greedy little thing only gave me half of one cupcake, but it was a start. She’s never been one to share food, especially dessert. She’d sooner stab you in the hand with her fork than give anyone a bite. She did give Brax an entire cupcake, so I’ll take that as a sign of progress.
“Think Tilly can come over sometime?” she asks, totally throwing me for a loop.
I look down at her, and she’s gazing up at me with so much hopefulness in her blue eyes. “Maybe, Tate. Tilly’s a very busy lady.”
“Maybe have her over for dinner. Everyone has to eat,” she says like she’s thirty years old instead of seven.
“We’ll see,” I tell her because the last thing I want to do is kill all her joy at eleven in the morning.
She still hasn’t forgotten about the horse, something I may never forgive Daphne for mentioning in front of her.
“It would make me so, so happy,” she says as we walk through the front door of Hook & Hustle.
The kid has me wrapped around her little finger. She knows it. I know it. Hell, the whole world knows I’m hers to command. Every little girl has her father right where she wants him, and Tate’s no exception.
“Grandma!” Tate takes off across the bar, running straight into my mother’s waiting arms.
“Hey, kiddo. Ready for a fun day?” Ma lifts her off the floor in the biggest bear hug.
I carry Brax around to the back of the bar with me and set him on top, letting him play with his Transformer for a few more minutes. His tiny feet dangle, kicking the wooden cabinet underneath. “You want something to drink, Brax?”
“No.” He doesn’t even look at me. He’s too fixated on the toy in his hand.
“I want to go ice-skating at the park today,” Tate tells my ma, filled with so much excitement at the thought, she’s almost shaking.
Lucio walks through the front door and shivers. “Damn, it’s cold out there. I’m so sick of this weather.”
We’re all over the long winter. There have been moments when I thought about joining the other half of my family in Florida, but I can’t bring myself to leave my parents behind.
“Don’t take off your coat,” Ma says to Lucio and then turns to me. “I have something I need both of you to do for a bit today.”
She’s up to something.
“Who’s going to watch the bar?” I ask.
“Your father and I will.” She tilts her head, slowly crossing her arms. “I ran this bar more years than you two have. I think we can handle it.”
“What on God’s green earth do you want us to do?” Lucio asks as he rubs his hands together, trying to warm up.
